Why is it important to focus on events in your target market?
A quirk of the human experience is the importance that we attach to shared experiences. Whether these are cultural traditions, like Christmas, or major sporting events, like Superbowl Sunday, they all have meaning. In the lead-up to these events, people are often in a similar state of mind and have shared thoughts, feelings, and pain points that brands can tap into to start a conversation.
This isn’t as simple as just slapping a holiday theme all over your marketing materials and calling it a day. While adopting the colors of a holiday can be a part of your marketing strategy, it’s important to build a story and message about how your brand connects with the specific event. Perhaps the most famous example is Coca-Cola using clever imagery to make Santa Claus a key component of their brand during the Christmas period.
How brands can effectively link their identity to an event
While every marketing event is different, there are some simple rules that you can follow to set your campaign off on the right track.
Start early.
Don’t just dive into an event the day before it starts. Plan your campaigns to begin with a lead time of a few weeks to two months, and build a pipeline of content that matches the growing energy and anticipation associated with a major marketing event.
Build a coherent story.
If you want to associate your brand with a specific event, it can help to build a specific story about why the two go hand in hand. This is easier for sales events like Black Friday, but if your brand lacks a tangible connection, creativity is key. Regardless, a compelling story will set a great foundation for your campaign.
Cleverly use promotions.
Promotions are a powerful tool and can even help tie your brand into an event for future years. For example, you could run your Black Friday event by building a coherent campaign that sparks growing excitement and hooks customers with the lure of great deals.
Understand your target geography.
This point is a big one. If you primarily target Latin America, you might not want to lean into Superbowl Sunday, but you’d certainly want to make sure your strategy includes the locally popular Copa América (American Cup).
Set your calendar.
Using a shared marketing calendar will ensure that your team is on the same page about the next big event that you should be preparing for.
With these basic tips in mind, let’s take a look at the marketing events in 2024.
The most important marketing events in 2024
Our team has selected some of the most important marketing events in 2024, and broken them down by quarter and region.
Quarter 1, 2024
United States
7 January, The Golden Globes
On 7 January, the 81st Golden Globes Award will be presented in California. The three-hour-long event honors actors from film and television, and it was watched by 6.3 million people in 2023. This is a great opportunity to associate your brand with the glitz and glamor of the film industry.
4 February, The 66th Annual Grammy Awards
Our next big event is another cultural icon—the Grammy Awards, also known as the Grammys, are the first big music awards of the year. If your brand has a special connection with a specific artist who is nominated, this is the moment to highlight them.
11 February, Super Bowl LVIII
With over 115 million viewers in 2023, the Super Bowl is one of the most important marketing events in 2024. This year, the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs will face off for the title, while top brands will take advantage of all those eyeballs to make some truly iconic ads.
9-14 February, New York Fashion Week
Moving back to culture, the New York Fashion Week is a big opportunity for clothing brands to stand out. While high fashion might be a little more avant-garde than high street, there’s no reason you can’t use it as an opportunity to strut your brand’s stuff.
14 February, Valentine’s Day
This global phenomenon is a huge milestone for February. Couples around the world exchange gifts, declare their love, and enjoy a romantic dinner for two. Whether you’re offering high-end jewelry or amazing takeout, Valentine’s Day is a big sales opportunity.
18 February, NBA All-Star Game
Another flagship sports event, this time in basketball. The NBA All-Star Game is a dream line-up featuring 24 of the NBA league’s top players. The event marks the high point of the NBA All-Star weekend and is an unmissable opportunity for sports fans and marketers alike.
6 to 16 March, South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festival
This event brings together creative talent from across the tech, film, music, education, and culture industries. The annual event features everything from music and comedy showcases to world-class art exhibitions, tech competitions, and networking opportunities. If you’re attending, it’s a great chance to connect with prospects in person, but also an opportunity to connect your brand with the city of Austin through a major marketing event.
10 March, The 96th Academy Awards (Oscars)
Now we get to the big one, the Oscars. We’ll discover who the academy decided to overlook this year and which of our favorite films will take away the golden statue. The Oscars are a unique cultural event which is watched the world over and is an excellent moment for marketers to connect with their more cinephile customers.
17-20 March, Shoptalk
Shoptalk is where thousands of retail changemakers come together every year to create the future of retail, and some of the biggest names will be there. Ecommerce markets will find this event particularly useful and will get an early insight into the narrative that will shape the retail industry over the coming year. There are other Shoptalk events that take place later on in the year, including Shoptalk Women, which will take place at some point in 2024.
Europe
2 February to 16 March, The Six Nations 2024
The Six Nations is the flagship rugby event for Europe, or the six countries that love it the most, anyway. It’s a chance for marketers to connect with the UK & Ireland markets, along with France and Italy. Rugby might not have the same reach as football, but its fans are just as engaged, and you shouldn’t overlook the Six Nations.
5 February to 5 March, Fashion Week
We mentioned it earlier, but Fashion Week is technically a global affair that kicks off in New York on February 7th, and then travels across Europe, with stops in the glitzy cities of London and Milan, before culminating in the capital of Fashion: Paris. It’s a globally followed event that offers plenty of opportunities for brands to connect with fashion-conscious customers.
5 to 9 February, Cisco Live
Cisco Live is another major technology conference in Amsterdam. Specifically, it’s an opportunity for marketers to acquire new skills and network with some of the top talent in their industry.
5 to 7 March, ITB Berlin
The ITB conference is the biggest travel industry event of the year. It’s a great opportunity for marketers to connect with travel companies and learn more about the latest trends in travel. This year’s event covers everything from business travel to responsible tourism. This is also a chance for marketers to get a better understanding of the themes that will connect with travelers and demonstrate some thought leadership.
12 to 14 March, One to One Monaco
One to One Monaco is a landmark networking event in one of Europe’s classiest cities. It gathers over 2,000 attendees for three days of business meetings and high-level networking moments. A clever marketing strategy can help your company lay the groundwork before attending and empower the sales & exec teams to do what they do best on the ground.
12 to 13 March, D3 Con
This Hamburg-based conference is majorly important for anyone interested in digital marketing. The event bills itself as the world’s largest conference about programmatic advertising and is packed with speakers who are leading minds in this arena. If you’re involved in the world of advertising, this is one to put in your calendar.
Quarter 2, 2024
United States
1 April, Easter Monday
Chocolate eggs, rabbits, and the hope of Spring. The first big holiday of the year marks a hugely important marketing event in 2024. Easter Day spending has been increasing consistently since 2010, and the average American spends around $179 every year. This is a great moment to bring customers to your brand and make your product part of their Easter celebrations.
8 April, a total solar eclipse
A total solar eclipse is a rare event that only appears once every 18 months, and they are only viewable in specific parts of the world at any given time. It’s an awe-inspiring moment that you can convert into some marketing juice with a bit of creativity.
12 to 14 April and 19 to 21 April, Coachella
“See you in the desert” is an iconic line associated with the Coachella music festival, which takes place in Indio, California, inside the Colorado desert. It is the largest and one of the world’s most popular music festivals, featuring famous established artists and some new up-and-coming ones.
6 May, The MET Gala
The Met Gala is considered “fashion’s biggest night out.” It is a charity event that raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and marks the opening of the museum’s annual fashion exhibit. The glitzy event often raises eight-figure sums for the museum. This year’s event will celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”
18 to 19 May, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC)
In mid-May, the United States’ biggest electronic music festival will land in Las Vegas. The festival is beloved for its interactive art installations, carnival rides, and iconic glow-in-the-dark environments.
Europe
20 April, Biennale di Venezia
Often called the “Olympics of the Art World,” the Biennale di Venezia is a landmark cultural event. The event brings together artists from around the world and is an opportunity for art lovers to engage with some of the best contemporary art in existence. While it opens on April 20th, it runs until November 24th.
22 to 26 April, Hannover Messe
The Hannover Messe is not a marketing event exactly, but it is an important conference for industry and development. It boasts around 6,500 exhibitors and has over 200,000 visitors annually. It’s an opportunity for marketers with a focus on the industry and development sector to make connections.
4 to 26 May, Giro d’Italia
Kicking off the European cycling season is the Giro d”Italia. This event takes place across Italy, and it is a great moment to connect with any of your customers who happen to be cycling fans.
7 to 9 May, OMR
The OMR (or Online Marketing Rockstars) festival and conference should be highlighted in every marketing events calendar. The event takes place in Hamburg and is among the largest digital marketing and technology events that combines a two-day exhibition with a two-day conference. It’s a dream opportunity for marketers to take the pulse of their industry and make lasting professional connections.
8 to 9 May, Netcomm Forum
If you’re looking for a major digital and ecommerce retail event, then look no further than the Netcomm Forum in Milan. It’s an important event for Italian marketers, who have an opportunity to connect with leaders in the ecommerce space, get a feel for what the industry is concerned about, and how they can offer solutions to those challenges.
11 May, Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision is a staple of the European cultural calendar. The event brings together the best bands Europe has to offer and has them compete for votes from the 168 million viewers across the continent. The result announcements are almost as fun to watch as the acts themselves. This year, it will be held in Sweden in the Malmö Arena.
14 to 25 May, Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival is a landmark event for everyone interested in film and cinema. Rather than rewarding the best films of the previous year, like the Oscars, Cannes is all about celebrating and showcasing what movie fans have to look forward to. The event is exclusive and difficult for normal people to attend, but it’s a chance to connect with customers who love films, and will be looking out for signs of what to watch next year.
20 May to 9 June, The French Open
The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is a key date on every tennis fan’s calendar. What makes it special? The French Open is the only Grand Slam event that’s held on a clay surface. In 2023, the tournament broke records with 613 thousand fans in attendance and over 40.5 million viewers.
21 to 25 May, Chelsea Flower Show (London)
The Chelsea Flower Show is a celebration of all things garden. It combines breathtaking displays of horticultural talent with garden design, live music, and even the chance to catch a glimpse of the royal family. It is a brilliant moment for home and garden brands to associate themselves with one of the most prestigious events in the world.
23 to 24 May, Digital Travel Connect
Digital Travel Connect brings together travel leaders, digital marketers, and other travel industry leaders in St Albans (UK). So what makes it unique? The event is restricted to senior-level decision-makers in the travel industry and focuses on connecting them with leading vendors who can solve their problems today. If your company wants to make serious waves in the travel space, Digital Travel Connect is the place to do it.
Quarter 3, 2024
United States
20 June to 14 July, Copa América
Football (or soccer, if you’re from the United States) isn’t just about Europe! The Copa América, or the American Cup, is the oldest still-running international football league in the world, and is the third most-watched football competition globally. The cup allows countries to compete from across both North and South America, and is always an exciting event with lots of opportunities to connect with football fans.
4 July, Independence Day
Independence Day is a time of fireworks, BBQs, and connecting with friends and family. It’s also a great moment for brands to tap into the positive patriotic fervor that’s permeating the American nation. Promotions that highlight the success of America are likely to land well, and it’s a strong opportunity for marketers.
23 July, Amazon Prime Day
Now this is a big one. Amazon Prime Day is a massive sales event where Prime members get to grab some pretty amazing deals. The challenge, for marketers at least, is that Prime Day might be difficult to take advantage of if you or your clients are not actively selling on the platform. However, people will still be in deal-seeking mode, and you might be able to use that spirit to tempt them to purchase from your platform instead.
26 August to September 8, US Open
The final big Grand Slam event in the tennis lover’s calendar. The event averages around one million viewers and showcases some of the world’s top tennis talent. It’s another brilliant marketing event in 2024 that can be used to help brands connect with their sportier customers.
2 September, Labor Day
Often referred to as the “unofficial end of Summer,” Labor Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Labor Day weekend is a key sales period. Marketers should keep this in mind as they plan their September strategies.
Europe
14 June to 14 July, UEFA Euro Cup 2024
The UEFA Euro Cup is a must-watch for any football fans, with many of the world’s best footballing countries squaring up for the trophy. In 2022, the sport was watched by 365 million people globally, and football fans are very likely to engage with football-related content over the course of the competition.
18 to 22 June, Royal Ascot
The sound of hooves hammering down the iconic racecourse is a sign that you might be close to one of Britain’s most iconic social events: The Royal Ascot. The event is broadcast in over 170 countries with over 1.3 million viewers in 2023. This year will be special, with a record-winning £10 million prize pot.
29 June to 31 July, Tour de France
Another must-watch sporting event, this time for cycling fans. The Tour de France is an annual multi-stage bike race that sees competitors racing through all of France. It’s pretty much the perfect marketing event in 2024 for brands that focus on outdoor sportswear, particularly if they stock anything cycling-related.
1 to 14 July, Wimbledon
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, and certainly one of the most famous. In 2023, the BBC counted 54.3 million streams on its digital iPlayer platform, and an additional audience peak of 4.5 million on BBC 1. It’s a unique opportunity for brands to connect with tennis fans and tap into one of the sport’s most iconic competitions.
2 to 4 July, MAD//Fest
MAD//Fest is one of the biggest marketing events in 2024. All tickets sold out in 2023 as participants enjoyed pitches, networking opportunities, food, drinks, parties, and some incredible DJs. The same is set to be true for 2024 as the event gears up in London, and it’s certainly one that should be in every marketing calendar for 2024.
26 July to 11 August, The Paris Olympics
After 100 years, the Olympics are returning to Paris. The Olympics are one of the most important sporting events in the world, and a great opportunity for marketers to tap into some of that positive sporting energy.
2 to 22 August, Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Every year, for three weeks in August, Edinburgh becomes a center of arts and culture, with over 2.4 million visitors in attendance. Artists and performers from around the world gather to showcase their talents in every discipline, from theater to comedy. The images are always striking, and there are plenty of opportunities for brands to make meaningful connections with art lovers.
17 August to 8 September, Vuelta a España
Another key event for cycling enthusiasts, the Vuelta a España sees top cyclists racing across Spain for three weeks over a 21-stage course. The event is slightly longer than the Tour de France.
25 to 26 August, Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival is a massive celebration of Caribbean and Black culture in the United Kingdom and attracts around three million people every year. The colorful and joyful event is a wellspring of positivity that any brand can be proud to make part of their marketing strategy.
28 August to 7 September, The Venice Film Festival
The annual film festival is the oldest in the world and one of the “Big Five” international film festivals. Screenings take place in the historical Palazzo Del Cinema on the Lungamore Marconi, and is among the world’s most popular film festivals.
18 to 19 September, DMEXCO
DMEXCO—Digital Marketing Exposition & Conference—is a marketing event in 2024 that should be on everyone’s calendars. The event takes place in Cologne, but it is possible to attend online. DMEXCO is popular as it connects key players in the marketing space together, and its keynotes are a good opportunity to learn more about the direction that the digital marketing space is moving towards.
17 to 22 September, IIA Mobility
Taking place in Munich, IIA Mobility is a great chance for marketers focused on the automotive industry to connect with their clients. The event showcases all kinds of personal vehicles and could help you network, or learn more about what customers will be looking for in the near future.
Quarter 4, 2024
United States
31 October, Halloween
Spooky skeletons and ghosts are out and about on this holiday. Halloween is an iconic cultural event, particularly in the United States, and an opportunity to connect with customers in a lighthearted way.
5 November, the 2024 United States presidential election
We don’t want to be political, and you probably don’t either, but the US elections are important to keep in mind. The United States, and much of the rest of the world, will be paying close attention to what happens on November 5th, which means that it might not be the best moment to plan to launch a new marketing campaign.
29 November, Black Friday
This is a big one. Black Friday accounted for $9.4 billion in online sales alone in 2023, and that figure is only likely to grow. Marketers need to carefully plan how to approach this event, and the groundwork should be laid well in advance. However, a carefully executed plan can really pay dividends as shoppers are on the hunt for good deals.
2 December, Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday comes just after Black Friday, and this isn’t a bad thing. The online sales for Cyber Monday are even stronger, coming in at $12.4 billion, and ecommerce marketers will often want to focus on this promo period in particular. The good news is that you can often use the momentum built over Black Friday to propel you into a successful Cyber Monday, making the best of both marketing events in 2024.
25 December, Christmas
The last big event on our list for the United States. Christmas is a major sales period and a big event for marketers. You get to have fun with your ads and lean into some of the silliness and warmth of the Christmas period, and you shouldn’t be afraid to start early, as many people start shopping as soon as October.
Europe
11 November, Websummit
A conference based in Lisbon that brings together 70,000 members of the tech industry. It’s a great event for networking, particularly if you’re interested in learning where MarTech is going to go over the next year.
26 to 27 November, Tech for Retail
An important European trade show, taking place in Paris, that focuses on technological innovations for physical retail and ecommerce. Some of the latest digital tools for marketers will be on display, and some of the industry’s leading minds will be in attendance. It’s definitely one to watch, even if you can’t attend.
29 November to 2 December, Black Friday and Cyber Monday
European markets also have these events, but you will need to make sure that you tailor your efforts toward local platforms that might be more popular with shoppers in specific regions or countries.
Are you ready to get your marketing strategy laid out for 2024?
Planning is half the battle, but you also need to work with a team that can execute those plans. That’s where RTB House comes in. We use our Deep Learning-powered algorithms to optimize your retargeting strategy, whatever the event. This helps you reach out to new customers and could help ensure that you make the most of the potential offered by 2024.
Do you want to learn more? Contact our team today.
